146 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



np new vegetable growth, it would be clifTicult to say, but the 

 effect could scarce fail to be disastrous. 



October, 1871, gave us a rain-fall above the average of that 

 month, though it failed to restore the average of the j'ear, and the 

 deficiency of some inches remained unrepaired on January 1, 1872. 



The rain-fall of the autumn of the year being at a season of con- 

 tinued and increasing frost, too late to be available for growth, 

 as the foliage had at that season ceased to exercise its functions, 

 failed to be of any benefit to vegetation. 



Even if so late in the season the frosts had not prevailed, the 

 rain would have been prejudicial as exciting a late growth which 

 could -not have ripened (as was the case in some sections of the 

 country), and would have failed to repaij- the injury of the sum- 

 mer's drought. 



Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, 1871, will long be remembered in 

 New England as of unprecedented severity. 



High, piercing winds, a temperature close on zero, and no cov- 

 ering of snow to protect the ground, made it as severe a day for 

 vegetation as has ever been experienced. 



From that time the winter began — a winter of cold, though not 

 of the greatest severity, although with more blustering winds than 

 usual. 



The fall of snow was, however, ver}'^ slight, and the ground was 

 most of the time wholly unprotected. 



The frost thus penetrated to a great depth in many places, 

 the ground being hard frozen at a depth of from four to five feet. 



On Sunday, January 7, 1372, the weather was clear, very cold, 

 with violent wind. 



January and February were, however, generally mild for the 

 season, though with sudden changes. There was, during these 

 months, however, nothing extraordinary in the weather, except the 

 absence of snow, thus allowing the frost to penetrate deeper and 

 deeper. 



From Feb. 26th, to March 3d, the weather was cold, with vio- 

 lent winds. March 3d and 4th the weather was mild, the ther- 

 mometer above freezing, with occasional rain, continuing until 

 midnight, March 4th. 



Up to this time there was no apparent injury, however, to Rho- 

 dodendrons and to the evergreens and other vegetation, which 

 afterwards showed such fearful marks of injury. At midnight, 



